'It was a very good experience,' said the CotSU finalists.

Finalists Aladin Abas, Haelah Abdul, and Afnan Dianang accumulated 8th place in the final round of the Philippine Microbiology Olympiad (PhilMO) Quiz Bee at DOST XII Halal Laboratory, Koronadal City, on November 22.

As the last virtual elimination round of the PhilMO 2023 team quiz bee commenced on November 10, resulting in their sixth-place advancement to the final round.

The Philippine Microbiology Olympiad (PhilMO) is one of the programs upheld at the 28th Philippine Society for Microbiology, Inc.-Mindanao (PSM) Convention and Scientific Meeting under the theme 'Il’mo: Celebrating the Culture of Excellence in Microbiology.' The term 'Il’mo' refers to the Maranao term that means 'knowledge within.'

The team, coached by Sir Carl Jann Sebastian and Ma’am Ayesha Hadji Ibrahim Bantala, were biology teachers who trained them by giving references and questionnaires to answer in their sessions, spending the remaining days ahead of them to study for the championship. Despite securing 8th place out of 10 during the final round, the Chairman of the Bachelor of Science in Biology, Ma’am Sarip Tarita Ampatuan-Ali, expressed overwhelming pride in the achievement of the pioneering students.

'No matter what our place, in the end, we tried our best, and our answers were all from the hard work we did,' shared the team quizzers. Despite the challenges of facing more experienced universities, CotSU, being the newest participant in PhilMO 2023, sees this as a carving point in their scientific journey. 'Being 6th in the elimination round and 8th in the final round is already an achievement for the institution,' she stated.

In breaking records and making history at PhilMO 2023, the CotSU biology department has not only secured its place in the competition but has also paved the way for future successes. As they reflect on their journey, the team remains optimistic about what lies ahead. That no matter what their placement, the knowledge gained, and the hard work invested have been invaluable. As CotSU looks to the future, this historic participation in PhilMO is not just a milestone but a promising start to a continued pursuit of excellence in the field of microbiology.

'We look forward to the next Philippine Olympiad and to apply ‘yung mga natutunan naming during our first experience,' Dianang exclaimed.